The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-29
READING A BIG PUZZLE.
THE MEN SAY A NEW STRIKE IS
ON AND THE ROAD DENIES 1T.

OAN AN0 4I1I hOAO AbN1EJEo IL
Seven Engine Crews and 700 Coal
Hands Stop Work at Port Richmond
Officials of the Road say it was on
Account of Rain-The Strike not Gem
eral if There is One.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 2S. General Man
ager Mcleod, of the Reading road, was not
accessible to-day, but in response to an in-
quiry he sent word out from his office by
messenger that ''the operations of the road
is almost without obstruction and there will
be nothing for publication today
From other sources in the company's
general Office it was learned that twenty
two north bound and twenty-three south
bound coal trains were moved yesterday, as
well as all the freight that had accumu-
lated in this city. An official
said that the men were not
generally obeying the order Of the Knights
to quit work again, because the company
had publicly guaranteed them protection,
and that there were sufficient men at work
this morning to carry on the operations of
the road properly.
. NOT FEARED.
A leading official of the company declared
that he had not heard anything in reference
to the reported order for renewal of the
strike. He doubted the issuance of
such an order, and said: ''It can have
no serious effect, as at least one-half the
men now at work are new men and would
not be governed by any action of the
Knights of Labor committee. If such O
thing should happen, we would only be
crippled in our service, and that only for a
short time, as | am assured that it would
only be matter of a few days until a full
force could be secured and the thorough
hlling of all requirements obtained
RETURN OF THE STRIKERS.
The strikers, who resumed work yester-
day, reported for duty as usual at Port
Richmond this morning. A few were late,
but the majority were on time and went to
work apparently with a will Freight
along the wbarves was handled as usual.
and in the round house all was hustle and
activity. Some of the meu however, were
not so cheerful, and discomfort was plain
ly written upon their faces The dis
charge of four men who had been
prominent in the proceedings in the Execu-
tive Board of the Reading convention
Bernard j. Sharkey, Ambrose Hede, Thomas
J. Bennett and John B. Kelly-was the
cause of their dissatisfaction. The sudden
change Of front on the part OF the railroad
officials was great surprise to the leaders
and to the rank and file of the strikers, and
caused considerable indignation
WHAT THEY THOUGHT
The strikers thought the company would
only insist upon the discharge of disobed-
ent employees, and that the men who were
SO summafily dismissed would not be dis
turbed. The determined attitude of the
raiif nv bas he
made them very stubborn, and they threat
ened to-day to renew hostilitie; Most of
the men were at work along the wtarves
but there were not a few idlers They
gathered at various meeting places
and excitedly discussed the situation.
Some of them roundly denounced
the Reading officials for what
they termed persecution of the leaders,
and threatened to lend their aid toward
bringing about another strike. Others
thought that arbitration, il properly con-
Quoted, would result in a peaceful settle
ment of the troubles and probably in
the reinstatement of the discharged leaders
The men were very determined and their
loud threats boded no good to the railroad
company.
A MEETING OF THE EMPLOYEES
Several hundred Reading employees as
sembled at Mutual Hall, on Richmond and
Netf streets, this morning This is head.
quarters of Assembly No. 62S5, COMPOSED
of coal handlers, train workers, etc There
are between 1900 and 1900 men in the as
sembly. No formal meeting was held dur
ing the morning, but the situation was full,-
discussed by the men. They were dissatis-
fed with the discharge of the four leaders
and with General Manager McLeod's
latest order, and said they were ready at
any time to quit work again A number of
men engaged in work at the coal wharves
at Port Richmond, again quit work this
evening. The train dispatcher there, how
ever, states that seven engines were laid off
by the company's order, and that the men
thought this meant strike, and many left
work, but that they are going back as fast
as they are told the facts.
TRAFFIC RE-EsTABLrsHED
Coal and freight traffic by this morning
was firmly re-established on the main line
of the Reading railroad Up to noon to-
day. twenty-five empty coal trains passed
through Reading from Port Richmond
and thirty loaded trains from the coal
regions. Some of the latter have been
on the sidings north of Reading
for the past few days, and are now being
moved. The notice of Chairman Lee, OF
the Executive COMMITTEES. TO the assemblies
of the Knights OF Labor revoling the order
to go to work and once more calling out the
+ Philadelphia and Reading men has not
yet reached Reading. 1t will not
generally be needed by the employees who
have already refused TO go out and by
their action on Monday broke the backbone
of the strike ThS6all for a Reading Rail
road Employees Convention to meet here to-
fSr aggressive measures against
the company, has not created much excite |
ment in this city, and the indications
are that it will be very slimly
as the orders of the company are
strict to the effect that the men must re-
main on duty and attend no such convention
Turing working hours. The miners will be |
5he most largely represented. The fact that
about thirty members of the Brotherhood
)f Locomotive Engineers obtained engines
leld by the Knights has made the feeling
between these parties very bitter. Probably
300 new hands have been employed in this
,ity in the place Of old ones and sent to
points where they were needed
ON NEW STRIKE.
There was a feeling of uncertainty in
Port Richmond all day and there was some
lesitation about going 0n a second strike.
Still 1t appeared that some sort of an order
lad gone forth, and at noon most Of the !
,oal handlers quit work. The leaders claimed |
hat they had gone ON a strike, but the rep |
'esentatives of the company denied this, and |
declared that they had quit work because
If rain, and also because there was no work |
% do by rea son of ''topn work being slack. |
Fourteen 'swharf rats" small shipping |
,ngines), began work as usual this morning, |
i've of the crews being composed of new
nen.